On 08/19/2011 07:32 AM, david wrote:
On Tue, 16 Aug 2011 20:44:00 -0400, Kenneth Scharf rearranged some
electrons to say:

Check out their website. Heath is going back into the kit business.

HEATHKIT IS BACK In The Kit Business!

In late August, Heathkit will debut their new line of Do-it-Yourself
kits for common around-the-house items. The first kit will be a Garage
Parking Assistant (GPA). The Garage Parking assistant kit lets you
build your own system that uses ultrasonic sound waves to locate your
car as it enters the garage. The system signals to the driver using LED
lights mounted on the wall when the car is detected and in the perfect
spot for parking.

The GPA-100 kit consists of two primary assemblies - The LED Display in
kit form and the pre-assembled ultrasonic range module. the kit will
include everything you need to complete the project except a soldering
iron and hand tools.

Next on the market will be a Wireless Swimming Pool Monitor kit followed
by many more. Heathkit wants to continue to bring to its customers
interesting, unique Heathkit products. Heathkit is interested in
learning what types of products kit builders would like to build. Kit
builders can submit their suggestions through this website using the
Contact Us email.


http://www.heathkit.com/

I would not hold my breath if I were you. This is not the same Heathkit
that we all remember. Their primary business is selling training
materials.
I'm crossing my fingers but I don't expect anything big from Heath, at
least not for a while. They are just testing the water now and if the
response is good they will add to the line. Might be a few years before
they go 'all in' on the kit business.

I've never ordered any of their educational products, but I've been told
that the manuals are up to par with the best of the materials they
produced in the kit business.

It wasn't only a shift in consumer attitude toward DIY that killed off
the old Heath. Electronics has become more high tech with tiny parts
that defy kit builders. The pendulum has swung back though, and DIY is
in vogue again. Witness MAKE magazine, Adafruit.com, sparkfun.com,
evilmadscientist.com etc. The 'maker movement is the new DIY. This
will involve different kinds of kits, such as building your own CNC
mill, laser cutter or 3D printer. (google the web, such projects are
common). If heath can offer products into this area they will scratch
an itch and do well.